News

Surfin': Having a Ham Radio Cow

Roland Daignault, N1JOY, documents an unusual Amateur Radio homebrewing project on the Internet at www.hamcow.net. HAMCOW is an acronym for "HAM radio Communications On Wheels." Roland's mission is to build a mobile ham radio communications trailer that can be towed to remote sites for portable radio operations of the contest and public service variety.

Starting with a surplus office trailer that Roland obtained for a bargain price, he and his radio compatriots proceeded to gut the trailer and build a deluxe five-position operating ham radio station on wheels that also provides some of the comforts of home, including a kitchen, bathroom and sleeping accommodations.

After a lot of hard work, the project is nearing completion and the maiden voyage of N1JOY's new HAMCOW will be a road trip to Martha's Vineyard, Massachusetts for the New England QSO Party on May Day. The operation will camp out atop the Gay Head cliffs in Aquinnah, the site of the best New England clam chowder this writer has ever tasted!

Thank you, Matt Cassarino, WV1K, for pointing me in the direction of www.hamcow.net.

Until next time, keep on surfin'!

Editor's note: Stan Horzepa, WA1LOU, has a new MacBook Pro and is as happy as a clam not in chowder. To communicate with Stan, send him e-mail or add comments to his blog. By the way, every installment of Surfin' is indexed here, so go look it up.